Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Sunday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Clear
Excellent or superb visibility, no navigation issues.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Clear
Excellent or superb visibility, no navigation issues.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 11th October 2026
Last updated
Sat 10th Oct 26 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A fine day overall with light winds, sunshine and just patchy cloud around some mountain slopes. Isolated brief showers around coastal fringes at first will fade. Southerly winds tend to strengthen later in the day in western areas. Some patchy rain reaches southwest Wales.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Largely dry, a lull in wind, plenty of sun.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 20-25mph around dawn, but soon easing in morning to 10-15mph, or less by middle of day into afternoon. Turning southerly afternoon, later starting to rise, to 20-30mph into evening, up to 40mph into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small though feeling chilly at first on tops. Worsening conditions into night.
How Wet?
Rare early light showers fade
Isolated brief showers in morning, mostly northern areas, of snow above 900m. Then dry until well into night, patchy rain may nudge in from southwest late in night.
Cloud on the hills?
Clearing most tops
Patchy cloud around higher slopes mostly above 900m by mid morning, lifting and dispersing more with time to leave most mountains free of cloud in afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny start, a little patchy cloud forming. Visibility excellent; early mist some glens.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2C rising to 4 or 5C afternoon; little change from dusk, then rising slightly into night. Feeling like -5C if exposed to stronger breeze early morning, again from dusk.
Freezing Level
Slight frost in glens at dawn. Around 1100-1200m in morning, rising higher, above all tops mid-afternoon onward.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 12th October 2026
Last updated
Sat 10th Oct 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly, speed likely to vary considerably, risk 50mph at first, then a marked lull until evening, then rising again.
Effect of the wind on you?
Possibly mostly small much of the daytime, but beware more difficult conditions early in day, may deteriorate again toward dusk.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, mostly toward south
Rain and drizzle fairly persistent in the morning, though small amounts north toward Glenmore. A little rain may linger over southern hills, drier periods north. After dark, steadier rain may return.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, lowest cloud south
Shrouding many hills all day, from mid elevations Glen Garry to Ben Alder, 700-900m Cairngorms to Monadhliath. Local higher breaks forming in afternoon away from rain toward north and east.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, mostly dull. Some brighter moments north of the Cairngorms, glimpses of sun and good visibility below cloud in afternoon.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 to 9C, tending to fall a little during daytime, then rise again into night. Feeling below freezing if in stronger wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 13th October 2026
Last updated
Sat 10th Oct 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly, overnight gales ease for a brief early lull to 25mph or less, but rise again by afternoon to 40-50mph+.
Effect of the wind on you?
A window of fairly small effects, but beware of deteriorating again during the daytime to become challenging.
How Wet?
Early rain, then showers
Heavy rain up to dawn likely soon clears away eastwards, leaving a brief drier window, but showers soon follow from the west, these increasingly frequent and heavy with hail, particularly afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Breaks to tops when dry
Varied cloud banks from dawn, but for a few hours then breaking well toward upper slopes with clearer spells in the east. Patches will come and go on high tops, filling in again from west in showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine breaking through best toward north for a few hours, but then cloudier. Visibility excellent as rain clears, then reducing around showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Mild 10C overnight but dropping to 7C by dawn, lowering further during day to 3C. Feeling later like -10C as wind increases.
Freezing Level
Above the summits, but may drop toward 1300m later in day.
Planning Outlook
Damp and mild southwesterly air moves across the country into Monday, winds strengthen again later to widely gale-force over the hills, heavier rain sweeps eastward overnight and into early Tuesday, followed by showers and a drop of temperature. Very unsettled west-southwesterlies continue into midweek - sustained mountain gales, possibly stormy at times and spells of heavy rain for all areas. A changeable westerly theme likely continues beyond mid-month - occasional windows of drier weather, but more often windy with rain or showers coming in from the Atlantic, sometimes cold enough to fall as snow on Scottish high tops.